Encomium
Tempo of political activities has in recent times, increased in the states where governorship elections are billed to hold next year. Governorship election would hold in all the states in the country in February, 2015 with the exception of Osun, Ekiti, Anambra, Edo and Ondo states.
In Kwara state, the battle is clearly between the ruling party in the state, APC and the leading opposition party, the PDP.
Stakeholders in the state PDP have, at different fora stated their readiness and resolve to wrestle power from the APC and bounce back to relevance. Leading governorship aspirants in the party include Senator Sulaiman Ajadi, Senator Simeon Ajibola,Alhaji Jani Ibrahim, Alhaji Rahman Razaq, Professor Shuaib Oba Abdul Raheem, Dele Belgore SAN, Ben Duntoye and others. Of all the aspirants, the battle for the PDP ticket has been more fierce in Kwara Central with the zone getting polarised into different camps.
Sources in the PDP disclosed that there are however moves to work towards the possibility of having a consensus candidate but such might not materialise because other camps have been quick in reading meanings to such as a plot to have either Dele Belgore or Oba Abdul Raheem imposed on the other camps through the backdoor.
A source in the party disclosed that there are moves to make the PDP stakeholders settle differences, bury personal egos and work in unison for the party’s victory in the next election.
The ruling party is however sparing nothing to consolidate its hold on power and stakeholders in the party led by its leader, Senator Bukola Saraki have been not only kept the long time political structure intact but have been busy marshalling out strategies to ensure the party records victory at the polls in 2015.
Indices have however indicated that the incumbent governor, Alhaji Abdul Fatah Ahmed remains formidable and he is the candidate to beat. Factors working in favour of the governor include the fact that he hardly gets worked up or lose his composure, his actions and inactions as governor of the state also showed he is gifted and highly matured in handling issues. Many, including those in the opposing parties have never questioned records of his profound humility and his being an ‘Omoluabi’.
Also , Alhaji Ahmed is from the Kwara South Senatorial zone and his choice as governorship candidate would also result in a bloc vote from the axis. It is believed that only the zone and Kwara North could have a bloc vote as the Kwara Central is already tagged with having high propensity to have its votes divided.
Another factor working in the governor’s favour is his loyalty to the structure that gave him the platform to assume the number one citizen’s status in 2011, inspite overtures and pressures from other power brokers, he has not done anything to rock the boat.
Alhaji Abdul Fatah Ahmed also scored good points as regards achievements and made the necessity of continuity in government. Unlike in some other states where inconsistency in government policies have led to waste of funds and cases of abandoned projects, the government of continuity in Kwara state has made completion of inherited projects possible. Some also reasoned that a good number of capital projects which are on-going would also get completed with the governor retaining his position next year.
